ZBrushCentral

ZBrush Mac: zoom and pan ... CRASH !!!

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I’ve this issue since a long time, also with previous ZB 3.xx Mac versions: it happens, quite often (say 2 or 3 times in 1 hour session), that if I pan or zoom the model in the viewport, ZB crashes instantly.

I never figured out what could cause it: it’s not due to mesh complexity (it happens also with a 1000 polygons tool), it happens using mouse or tablet as well.

Also, it happens both in Leopard and Snow Leopard, and both on my Mac Pro and my MacBook Pro…
Reinstalled on both several times and still the problem occurs …

So I’m quite clueless, I think I’m opening a support ticket, but I just wanted to know if some of you are experiencing the same issue …

#2

Out of curiosity, what plugins do you have installed?

#3

Hi Aurick, here are is the list:

  • AdjustDFZsize
  • AlphaLoader
  • Decimation Master
  • HDRenderALL
  • ImagePlane
  • PoserScaler
  • SubtoolMaster
  • SmoothGroupImport
  • TextureLoader
  • TransposeMaster
  • TurntablePlus
#4

Well, I disabled all the plugins except the SubTool Master, and after about 3 hours of work no crashes occurred.
So I really think it was a plugin that caused those crashes, because in a 3 hours session I usually got about 8-10 crashes …
I’ll now re-enable one plugin at a time and test to see which of those is causing the problem … I’ll post it when I find the guilty one :lol: … perhaps the devs would like to know that ?

Thanks for your “implied” hint …

#5

Yes, please say which you think causes the problem.

#6

Hi, after some days of testing, I’m quite certain that the trouble lies within the following plugins:

  • ImagePlane
  • TextureLoader

When one, or both are loaded, I frequently get crashes panning and zooming the tool. By frequently I mean a 3-4 crashes in 1 hour session.

If I remove the plugins, ZB runs stable and crash-free.

One thing I noticed, and that perhaps might help you, is that when those two plugins are enabled, even when the ZB doesn’t crash, panning and/or zooming the model is slower than usual: for example, when I rotate the tool and I release the mouse, it takes an unusual delay to re-subdivide the mesh. That delay is almost un-noticeable when those two plugins are removed.

Here are my Mac Pro specs:

  • 2 x 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
  • 6 GB 1066 Mhz DDR3
  • Nvidia Geforce GT120
  • Snow Leopard

The problem occurred also with Leopard, and ZB 3.12B.

If you need me to run some more test please let me know !

#7

Hi florencepapillon

I’m so glad I found your thread. I have a Mac Pro with only one 2.66GHz Quad Core, 6GB and the ATI Radeon HD 4870.

The crashing on zoom and pan has been driving me mad. I noticed I had TextureLoader as a plugin. I moved the files to a folder called ‘unused plugins’ within the Startup/Plugins folder and did a quick test. No crash.

I then moved the TextureLoader files back and did a test, no crash.

I think I need to do a more extensive test so I’m going to remove the TextLoader files from the Plugins folder and give it a go.

Thanks again for sharing your valuable information. Very much appreciated.

#8

You’re welcome, glad to help !

I found out that when creating a mesh and sculpting, if I enable only the really needed plugins, like for example the Subtool Master, ZB is very stable. I’ve learned to be careful using also the Alpha Loader tool which, even if very useful, often get ZB prone to crashing.